What can these records tell me?

These records include both transcripts and images of the original army list. While the amount of information available varies, most transcripts include the following:

First name(s)

Last name

Year

Regiment

Listing type

The images often provide additional information, which varies depending on the rank of the individual:

For Field Officers: The date of their last regimental appointments with rank specified in the List of General and Field Officers

For Captains with the Brevet of Field Officers: The date of their first commissions as Captains

For Captains and Subalterns: The date of their army rank with seniority indicated by the order of their names in each rank

For Veterinary Surgeons: The date of their appointment with rank shown under the Veterinary Department

For certain Medical Officers: The date when they joined that regiment

Discover more about these records

In one form or another, since 1702, army lists have been regularly provided by the British Army and contain the names of all serving officers. This 1878 list contains the names of over 43,000 servicemen.

Words such as “Peninsula” and “Waterloo” added to regiment titles indicate the Honorary Distinctions allowed by those regiments on their Colours and Appointments, commemorating their service.

Names printed in italics on the List of Regiments are officers that are on the Supernumerary or Seconded Lists.

Copyright

Crown Copyright

Images reproduced by courtesy of The National Archives, London, England.